CLIMATE ANXIETY

CLIMATE ANXIETY Navigating Our Emotions as the Planet Changes

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by Sandra Yeyati

Following a record-breaking Or, we’re standing in front of a hurricane season, out-of-control package of blueberries at the grocery store wildfires and a deadly prolonged feeling confusion and ambivalence. A depandemic, many of us are anxious and sire to be healthy and adopt a sustainable, fearful, prompted by the growing realiza- vegetarian lifestyle is playing tug-of-war tion of being in a state of environmental with the fact that these blueberries were insecurity. These inklings of impending flown in from South America, are wrapped doom are nothing new for members of the in plastic and were grown in a monoyouth climate movement—kids in their culture that depletes the soil. It’s hard to teens or younger—succumbing to hope- know whether to eat or boycott them. “The lessness, anger and rage as they learn the greater this dissonance grows, the more science and watch leaders do nothing to likely we’ll tell ourselves that the problems address it. are too big. We decide that we can’t make a

Hardest hit are “marginalized commu- difference, so why try? We check out,” says nities, including indigenous people, climate integrative psychotherapist Leslie Davenrefugees, farmers struggling with drought port, author of Emotional Resiliency in the and communities of color, who dispropor- Era of Climate Change. tionately suffer from the health effects of The first step to alleviate this anguish polluting industries,” says Jennifer Atkinson, is to validate and normalize the dark associate professor of environmental studies feelings. “It’s important to remember that at the University of Washington-Bothell. there’s nothing wrong with you. What’s

Some of us are affected in more subtle happening is actually painful and difficult; ways. Perhaps we’re noticing slow-moving there’s a lot of loss involved. Eco-anxiety is changes around us, like the gradual loss a natural response to having your heart and of bees or a disappearance of trees, and mind open, being an attentive and caring we develop a sense of loss the philosopher person, if you tune in to what’s happening Glenn Albrecht coined “solastalgia”, which in the world,” says Davenport, adding that plays on the concept of nostalgia—a long- good self-care, including mindfulness ing for a time or place we can’t go back to. practices, will expand our tolerance for dealing with tough times.

Another powerful antidote can be found in community, according to Sarah Jaquette Ray, associate professor of environmental studies at Humboldt State University, in Arcata, California, and author of A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet. “People feel like they can’t impact the world because they’re only one person. But when they start to shift the lens toward the collective, it allows them to realize that the positive things that are happening in the world are actually happening at scale, and it allows them to feel like they’re part of some larger purpose,” says Ray.

As we accept climate-related anxiety and seek the company of like-minded people to affect change, surprisingly positive emotions will arise, including joy, laughter, dancing and camaraderie at street protests. “Those positive feelings help us process grief and anger, engage us in the work long term and help us maintain the stamina we need for sustained work,” Ray says.

“Think of climate anxiety as a kind of superpower, a signal that goes off to tell us something’s wrong and needs to be addressed,” says Atkinson, the creator and host of the climate-anxiety podcast Facing It. She points to grief as a compelling motivator. “You can’t feel grief without love,” she explains. “Grief is an expression of compassion and connection to others and to the pain we feel when those lives are destroyed. Love is far more powerful in motivating us to fight than any other affect. There’s no limit to the lengths we’ll go to protect what we love.”

We are only limited by a lack of ecological imagination, Davenport proposes. “Our contemporary Western culture emphasizes the rational, cognitive way of thinking, which is linear and analytical. But another part of the brain—the imaginative, creative and intuitive part—views the world synergistically and holistically. If we open up to this ecological imagination, we can have a visceral knowing of interconnectedness, making it simpler to act in a way that’s beneficial to all of us.”

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

Yoga Corner

Sunshine On My Shoulders

by Nicole Zornitzer

As 2021 begins, I find myself in a quandary of mixed emotions. In my personal life, I have just completed my worst year on this earth thus far; having watched my mother cross to the other side. Many of my clients have endured a difficult year; managing an international pandemic, riddled with fear and legitimized stress. Some have also lost a loved one, cancelled a wedding, been alone for a holiday, home schooled their children, had a less than stellar college experience, lost a job and faced financial ruin. I am comfortable saying that if given a poll, the majority of this country is happy to put 2020 behind them. However, when I go back to my yogic roots and teachings, I find myself challenged to simply kiss 2020 goodbye.

As I reflect upon 2020, I see that I was not living, I was preparing to die. Had you asked me 25 years ago; all that I wished for was more time to spend with my father who died a tragic suicide, all that I wanted was one more day. Well, 2020 gave me not just one day, it gave me nearly 365 days to be exact, to prepare for death. My opinion—be careful what you wish for because preparing for death is almost worse than death. In hindsight, while 2020 presented me with the most difficult of situations, it also changed my perspective on this one life I was given. My family and I spent every day in 2020 with my mother, truly embracing the moment. We sat outside and watched the birds, we observed as each new season brought different sounds, smells and colors. We paid attention to the smallest of things, like lady bugs, frogs and butterflies. We ate each meal with a new sense of taste. We embraced one another with love, fear and enormous sadness. The rawness of these emotions brought an already close family closer.

I prepared for death because part of me was in fact dying as the person I loved became a glimmer of what she had once been. Through this death experience, my mother smiled. She smiled until the day she decided to cross because in her own way, she was still being Mom and was caring for us as best as she could. The last week of her life, as we held her hand and kissed her goodbye, we played the song “Sunshine on My Shoulders” by John Denver repeatedly. I chose this song because I remembered my parents playing it on a road trip when I was younger. It brought back joy and fullness of heart for me and I know, fond memories to my mother. I gazed at my mother’s weak hands as I held them tightly. I fully embraced every moment of this one life she was given and her impact on myself, my brother, my children and nephews. Through death, I found life; this life for all of its challenges is the one life I will live as far as we all know. Life is not even close to being perfect, even if you live it fully. Life is a challenge each and every day we rise if we are truly experiencing all there is to experience. However, these hurdles, these depressions, these joys, these tears are all meant to be felt fully. As Mark Nepo, a New York Times bestselling author who wrote about his struggles with cancer, explains, when we’re knocked off our horse, we’re brought closer life. In my case, I have been knocked off my horse more times than I care to know. When we are knocked off our horse, we are given a sacred opportunity for a rebirth of sort, whether that be emotionally, spiritually or physically.

As we all enter this new year of 2021, instead of creating goals or aspirations that may or may not come to fruition, I encourage us all to reflect on 2020. Look for the lessons, the messages from source, the smallest of moments with a full heart (even if temporarily broken) and appreciate this one life we are given. If you glance behind you, you will always find sunshine on your shoulders.

Nicole Zornitzer, ERYT 1000, yoga therapist, founder of Niyama Yoga & Wellness Shala, located in Randolph, New Jersey, and Upper Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey. NiyamaYogaShala.com.